


Black Mirror: Iwapego Edition

by rhapshie



Category: Persona 5
Genre: M/M, Oneshot collection, Warning at the end of each chapter, We will literally never be happy again now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 19:23:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19257601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhapshie/pseuds/rhapshie
Summary: The eye is the window into the soul.





	1. Nosedive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING IS AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER**  
>  This is just for those who are unfamiliar with Black Mirror so they don't lose the element of 'oh shit'.
> 
> Nosedive by Niko

Life was perfect, everything was perfect, Akira was perfect. Or at least, he was close to being perfect. He was beautiful, smart, charismatic, elegant, and respectful. He had an impressive and good paying job, a modest but beautiful house, and the highest score in his neighborhood. It was what Akira prided himself in the most, being scored at a 4.90 at the age of twenty-one. Some people would spend their whole lives working towards the goal of getting to a perfect score. Luckily, Akira had always been smart enough to know how to work the system.

Since he was a boy, he knew he had to make friends with the right people and to not get caught up in the wrong crowd. If he was to get anywhere in life, then he would have to be wise and always be the best version of himself. Akira made time for studying every night, attending every social event, interacting with every person who had a score higher than him. By the time he was in high school he was already at a 4.0. Everything was going perfectly for him.

Akira stared at himself in the mirror in his restroom, it was routine every day after getting ready to prepare the mask he made for himself. His persona of tolerance and warmth was used on everyone, and subconsciously, Akira. He smiled at himself in the mirror as he straightened his black tie. Some would call it controversial to wear a dark red suit with black and white accents in the pastel society, but many admired the bravery, as well as attractiveness, that radiated off Akira when he wore the dark tones.

He took one more look at himself in the mirror and fixed his hair, making sure the curls were in the perfect position. Once finished, he put took a deep breath and readied himself for another day. Grabbing his suitcase, he left his house and walked to his car, greeting his neighbors who were coming outside at the exact same time as him.

On the drive to work, Akira made note of a very dark grey covered man that was walking on the sidewalk. He could see his score, a very low 1.21. He couldn’t see the man who he had already drove past, but he was sure that whoever it was lived a very horrible life. Akira’s mind began to wander as he drove, how could someone let their own rating drop so poorly? It made no sense to Akira; he could never understand people who didn’t care about their rating and let the numbers drop without a second thought.

From the moment he was born, it was engraved in his psyche that there was no other option to living other than being perfect. Akira’s family made it obvious that they meant what the said as they would punish Akira any time his rating would drop, even by a decimal. They would always make their vague threats of how they would disown him if he ever dropped more than one number, so he never let any room for mistakes.

Within minutes, he was pulling into the parking lot of his work. He looked at himself in the rearview mirror and took a deep breath. “Another day to make myself perfect.”

The hours seemed to have flown by quickly as it was already time for Akira to go home. The days usually never went this fast, but Akira was thankful as he felt more exhausted than usual. He had stayed up later than normal taking care of a stray cat that had showed up at his doorstep the night before when he came home from work.

Akira was just about to leave when he was stopped by one of his coworkers. It was the new guy who had just recently started this week, Akira only knew his name was Akechi and that he had the second highest rating in the building, Akira being the first. The two never talked, but it seemed as though Akechi was interested in a conversation.

“Hello, Akira was it?” Akechi checked, Akira nodded and smiled as he wasn’t sure what his coworker wanted. “Sorry if this is a bit sudden of me, but I never properly introduced myself to you.” Akechi extended his hand and Akira shook it.

“It’s not any trouble at all, it’s good to meet you Akechi. I hope you’ve been enjoying the work you do for this company.” Akira smiled warmly.

“I do, but I must admit I was hoping to talk about something else.” Akechi pointed upwards to the invisible numbers that they could see with the lenses in their eyes.

“Ah, I assume you’re wonder why mine is so high?” Akira smirked.

“Well, no actually. I was wondering why someone of your score is stuck doing accounting when you could move on to something better.” Akechi laughed.

Akira was curious as to why Akechi had brought this up, but he shrugged it off as his coworker just being a nosy person. “I’ve had the chance to be promoted, but I’m happy where I’m at. Perhaps within time I’ll move onto something different, but for now I’m comfortable with the job I’ve had for so long.”

“I see. Thank you for your time then, I’m sure I’ve kept you from going home long enough. See you tomorrow Akira.”

“See you.” Akira gave him one last smile as he walked past him, he took out his phone and gave him a five-star rating, boosting Akechi from 4.75 to 4.80. Akira also received five stars, but it didn’t boost him by much as he was above Akechi’s score. Out in the parking lot, the sun was already setting, and the shadow of the building cast itself over the parking lot. The sky was pastel pink, fading into a soft orange. The sunsets in this town were always perfect and beautiful.

Akira got in his car and sighed, soon he would be home and could relax, though he was more excited to see his new cat Morgana. He had hoped that the cat didn’t cause too much damage to the house while he was away. As he drove off, he noticed Akechi outside in front of the building, staring at Akira as he drove away.

The drive home felt longer than usual; Akira thought his exhaustion just made him feel more anxious to get home which caused the car ride to seem extended. His eyes began to sag as he drove, soon he found himself blinking for longer seconds, and when he finally realized that he had dozed while driving, he felt his car slam into the one in front of him. It was a loud metal crash that sounded worse than it was, but it was enough to shock Akira awake. He got out of his car to inspect the damage, the other driver doing so as well.

“Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry sir.” Akira apologized, though his car seemed to have ended up worse than the other man’s.

“This is fucking great; I just got this last week and now this happens. I hope you have insurance.” The man scowled.

“Of course, sir. Again, I apologize, it was an accident.” Akira was feeling agitated by the man’s anger, but of course he knew he couldn’t do anything as he was just a 2.39.

After a moment of bickering and arguing the two men parted, he gave Akira zero stars, causing his store to decrease by two decimals. It was nothing, but it still gave Akira an odd pit feeling as his score hadn’t gone down in months. That wasn’t the main concern though as he drove his car, he could feel it driving differently due to the damage. He knew he needed to get it fixed, he couldn’t be seen with a car looking so damaged, it would ruin the image he created for himself.

As he drove, he looked out for repair shop on the street, and luckily for him there was one that seemed to be open. The young man drove into the garage of the repair shop, hoping that this could be fixed soon. He stepped out of the car and looked around, the green neon sign on the store said it was open, but there didn’t seem to be anyone. Within minutes though a tall and rough looking man stepped out into the garage.

The man looked to be in his mid-thirties, with stubble and grey hair. He was dressed in a grey mechanic suit and wore a grey hat, nothing about him seemed presentable as he was also sweaty and spotted with oil. The worst part about him was his very low and laughable 1.21 rating, Akira could tell the man this man wasn’t going to be friendly.

“Can I help you?” The man asked as he approached Akira.

“Um, yes, I recently got into an accident and my car was slightly damaged and I need it fixed.” Akira explained. The grey-haired man looked at the front of the car and whistled.

“Slightly damaged, huh? It’ll be fixed by tomorrow evening.” The mechanic was getting ready to head back inside to grab some stuff before Akira stopped him.

“Wait what do you mean tomorrow evening? I need it ready before tomorrow morning!” Akira knew he sounded bratty, but he was in a panic.

“Listen kid, just be glad you’re the only one I have to work on, otherwise it would just take longer. I’m a mechanic, not a miracle worker.” His grey eyes glared back at Akira’s black ones.

“This is ridiculous. Isn’t there someone else who can help me?” Akira asked in desperation.

“You don’t trust my skills? Or maybe,” he walked closer to Akira who was walking away in response, “you just don’t trust someone like me?”

“W-what do you mean?” Akira had no more space behind him as he backed up against the wall, the tall man now standing a couple of inches away. Akira could smell the taller man, he reeked of oil and sweat. Akira knew it was wrong, but something about the situation was oddly arousing.

“You know what I mean. A pretty boy with a near perfect score can’t stand when someone like me has more control of a situation.” His voice was deep, almost like a growl. Akira was looking up at the man who had him cornered. Everything screamed danger, but Akira could only think about the strong attraction he felt towards this unknown man.

“That’s...it doesn’t matter. Just please, fix it quickly.” Akira put his head down and looked at the ground.

“Tomorrow evening. I’ve got a life outside of this place too, y’know.” The mechanic shook his head.

“Fine.” Akira knew he couldn’t fight back anymore and that he should just be patient.

Akira’s house wasn’t far so he could at least walk home and then take a taxi in the morning to work and then back to the shop, so at least getting a ride wouldn’t be a problem. But his image was surely going to be ruined if he was to be seen in a taxi. He was about to leave when it was the mechanic who stopped him this time.

“Just leaving like that? You gotta at least fill in some information before you can go.” He sighed.

“Oh right, my mistake.” Akira walked with the man inside and filled out the forms that were necessary. It seemed as though that this place had no bonuses for people with higher rating, but it’s not like Akira expected as much. He handed the mechanic the form when he finished, finally ready to go home and just rest.

“Now you can go. See ya tomorrow.” The older man smirked mockingly, Akira wanted to just punch his face, but he knew that would just make things worse. The young man said nothing as he walked out and made his way home.

Akira thought he was being paranoid the next day as he thought he could see and hear the whispers behind his back as he came to work in a taxi. But his paranoia was right as he could tell all eyes were on him for the rest of the day. Not showing up in his fancy car for the first time ever definitely became a scandal to his coworkers who just wanted to feel better about themselves.

As much as Akira should’ve been bothered by everyone’s opinion on him, he couldn’t help but to think solely about the intimidating man he met yesterday. He thought he could get him out of his head, only for him to have a dream about him despite the mechanic being so new to him. Akira was no stranger to sexuality, as he had been aware of his attraction to men for his whole life, but only now had someone been so attractive and arousing to him. At first, he seemed like some older man, but when Akira got a closer look at him, he was very handsome. Older, and more rugged than any man Akira had ever seen before, he was a type that Akira never knew he had.

Everything from the man’s look, smell, and voice were intoxicating to Akira, but his score was something that held him back. Even if the perfectionist had a chance at being with the lowly man, he knew it was cause damage to his perfect score. There was no way that Akira could risk that.

He was snapped out of his thoughts of the man when he felt a hand tap his shoulder, he looked over to see a mop of brown hair.

“Akechi, hello. Is there something you need?” Akira greeted with a smile.

“I was just wondering why it is that you’re on everyone’s minds today.” Akechi smiled, Akira could tell just how condescending he was being though, Akechi was not as good an actor as Akira was.

“Have I been? I’m afraid I haven’t noticed.” Akira laughed lightly.

“No need to be so modest,” Akechi winked, “it seems as though you’ve caused a scandal by showing up in cab earlier.”

Akira almost clenched his fists but was able to hide his anger quickly, “Oh yes, I’m afraid that my car needed a quick fix as had a minor scrape yesterday.” Akira quickly pulled out a small lie.

“Ah, it seems everyone has quick judgement then. My apologies for asking you this so directly.” Akechi smiled once more.

“It’s no problem at all. Excuse me, I must get back to my work.” Akira smiled. They gave each other their stars and parted. The two of them had given each other four stars, both young men harboring resentment towards each other as their scores calculated accordingly.

Akira made sure to avoid Akechi for the rest of the day at all costs.

Making sure that Akira was the last one to leave work, he stepped outside and looked out to the parking lot. Not a single car in sight, perfect. Akira used to opportunity to call himself another taxi so that he could have a ride to the repair shop and finally be reunited with his car. Of course, though, he was slightly excited to see the intimidating man again.

It wasn’t long until the taxi pulled up and took him to the shop, a nervous feeling haunted the back of his head during the whole ride. He felt never to interact with the man again, he knew he was acting unprofessional the day before and that the man didn’t think poorly of him. Regardless of his score, Akira knew he had to be a good impression on everyone.

Akira arrived at the repair shop after some time. He paid the taxi driver and stepped out, taking a deep breath before walking into the shop. As there was no one around Akira figured that the other man was in the garage working on the car. The young man stepped outside to enter the garage but stopped when he could hear people arguing around the corner.

Normally Akira would keep his nose out of conversations that weren’t his to have, but he couldn’t help but be interested when one of the voices was deep and rough, a familiar and distinct voice to Akira. He sneaked around the corner, making sure to stay out of eyesight of the mechanic and the three other men he was arguing with. The three men that Akira couldn’t recognize have scores that ranged between 3.0 and 4.0. Nothing too special, but still much better than the low 1.21.

“The boss isn’t gonna take no for an answer.” One man snarled.

“Well he ain’t my boss anymore. I told y’all, I don’t do this shit anymore.” A familiar voice said, tension clearly in his voice.

“You sure you don’t wanna come back? You might regret it. Ya never know when something might happen, especially to little Kaoru.”

Akira flinched when he saw how fast the mechanic moved to pin the man to the pin. “You ever come near my son and I will fucking kill you, got it?”

There wasn’t much time for an answer has the other two men pulled the mechanic off and began throwing punches left and right. For a moment he stumbled, but as he stood his ground, he began to throw punches back at the unfamiliar men, knocking them down. As the mechanic fought, his head turned to the side and caught a glance of Akira in his red suit. He flashed a side smirk to him as he fought, blood dripping from the side of his mouth where a firm punch had landed seconds earlier.

Akira wanted to butt in, but he knew someone as small and fragile as him wouldn’t be able to hold his own against these men. He just stood back and watched as the handsome grey man fought on the three men with ease. Eventually they gave up and ran off, leaving the other two alone behind the repair shop.

“You can come out now, they’re gone.” A low voice called out to Akira.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t help you.”  Akira apologized.

“It’s better than you didn’t, they wouldn’t have hesitated to kill you.” The older man sighed.

Akira was taken back, he wasn’t sure who these men were, but it was obvious they were shady, and by affiliation, so was the mechanic. Akira wanted to be scared and act sensical and just not be interested in the man, but the danger that surrounded him was an enticing spell that Akira couldn’t break out of.

“You’re bleeding from your mouth and nose.” Akira pointed out. The taller man touched his face, unaware of the blood.

“Didn’t notice.” He mumbled.

Akira walked towards him and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and began to dab at the still fresh blood on his face. The other man was surprised by the action, unsure of why he was doing this.

“What do you think you’re doing, kid?”

“Shut up and let me clean you. Why did you fight them? What if they were stronger than you and you weren’t able to fight back fairly?” Akira questioned while cleaning the blood.

“Pfft, like I need some kid like you to worry over me.” He rolled his eyes.

Akira took a step back and looked up at him with a scowl, “But still, you shouldn’t be so reckless.”

“Why’re you so upset? Not like you know me well enough to care.”

Akira blushed and looked away, unsure of what to say. He knew that the older man was right though and that he shouldn’t care so much, but he couldn’t help it. His attraction made him feel closer and more worried about the man, regardless of how much of a stranger he was.

“I just...I don’t…” Akira was at a loss for words, unsure of what to say to the taller man who looked down at him with a small smile.

“Don’t tell me you’re attracted to me.” He laughed.

“Shut up! What would make you even think that.” Akira was now as red as his suit with the amount of embarrassment he felt.

“Look me in the eye and tell me you aren’t just a kid with a crush.”

Akira couldn’t even do that as he was too embarrassed and scared, he was regretting every decision he made that led him to this moment.

“I knew it. I’m flattered, but you don’t know me, you don’t wanna get involved with me. Besides, not like that perfect score of yours will get any better if you spend time with me.” That deep voice of his was attractive, but Akira knew he should listen to what he was saying. “You don’t even know my name.”

“I’d like to.” Akira looked up at him shyly.

“Munehisa.” He sighed.

“Well, hello Munehisa, my name is Akira.” The young boy extended his hand.

“Don’t care. Look, just take your car and go.” Munehisa pushed by him and went into the garage.

Akira followed him, feeling like a puppy who just wanted care from their owner. “Wait, so that’s it? Nothing?”

“You’re an annoying brat. What will it take for you to just leave?” Munehisa groaned.

“Well, for one, my car so I can leave. And two, a kiss.” Akira swallowed any fear he had just to say that.

“Fucking hell, kid. You don’t make this easy. If you end up with me, you’re just going to regret it.” Munehisa wasn’t sure what to do. On one hand, the kid was cute, and he wouldn’t mind having a distraction for a while, but on the other hand it would mean that he’d have to look out for someone else and risk his safety. He sat down on one of the chairs he had in the garage so he could just think for a second, but he wasn’t given the opportunity as the younger man sat on his lap, facing him.

“You’ve got no respect for personal space.” Grey eyes observed the pretty boy, seeing every perfection on him. He was like an art piece come to life. “You’ve got my blood on you.”

“My suit is red; it doesn’t stand out that much.”

“You really want this, don’t you?” Munehisa moved his face closer to Akira’s, smelling the scent of coffee.

“More than anything.” It wasn’t a lie as this was the first time Akira was risking his reputation for something. Though, it was because he was mostly thinking with his libido.

Akira leaned forward and placed a light kiss on Munehisa’s chapped lips, feeling for the first time, a spoil of living.

Life felt complete to Akira, while he lacked the 5.0 rating he had been craving for so long, the empty feeling way made up by his newfound romantic interest. They would see each other over the coming days, and eventually the days became weeks. While it was all still new to Akira, he was surprised at how supportive and slow Munehisa was to taking things with their relationship, but Akira felt the suspicion he held out on him for his own safety. He couldn’t blame Munehisa though, as there were many things on the line that could be jeopardized if they slipped up in the slightest way.

It was easy to hide their relationship as neither of them really went anywhere to be seen. Akira would stop by the shop after work and spend a good hour with his new companion, sometimes if the two of them were feeling particularly bold they would go to Akira’s home together and partake in lustful actions. They didn’t start that part of their relationship until a week in the relationship when Akira found it hard to resist his primal urges towards Munehisa, and since then their nightly  _ escapades  _ were often. Munehisa always left before it got too late though, Akira knew he had his son to care for, and while a part of him felt guilty for wishing he could have more time with his lover, he knew he shouldn’t keep a father from his son.

Munehisa’s relationship with his son was an odd and strained one, as while the man loved his son to death and would do anything for him, he kept his distance as he knew that he would just ruin his son’s image and 3.89 rating. Munehisa was resentful to their system, but he knew that if Kaoru was to be successful and enter a good high school, he would have to keep up that high rating. People knowing that Kaoru’s father was a rough and dirty mechanic with a 1.21 score would just cause his score to go down more, and Munehisa couldn’t risk that.

When Akira had questioned Munehisa on the matter it only made the man grow quiet as he was hurt deeply by how the system had fucked him over. Being with Munehisa opened Akira’s eyes a bit more as he started to see how their society did seem to gang up and take drastic punishments to those on the lower side of the scale, and while Akira learned Munehisa was a kind person on the inside that didn’t deserve his low rating, he knew he couldn’t speak for all the others. But it did put him in the shoes of someone else, seeing that a rating doesn’t matter so long as he’s willing to make do with what is given to him, just as Munehisa does.

“Mune, why do you think it is that our society is the way that it is?” Akira asked one day, his mind had been stuck on whether it was a good thing or not to live this way.

“Cause some dumb prick thought it’d be a good idea to rate someone by how fancy they live rather than their merit.” Munehisa sighed. The two of them were laying on Akira’s bed, naked as they had just finished having sex for the third time that night. Munehisa was on his back while Akira was laying on top of him, the younger boy’s head resting on the firm chest of his lover.

“I think I’ve lived my whole life wrong.” Akira admitted.

“Damn right.” A laugh came from the older man, Akira just playfully smacked his shoulder.

“Asshole.”

“I’m just messin’ with you, baby. But, there ain’t no wrong way to live, but there’s also no right way to live. We’ve all done some bad stuff in our lives.” Munehisa said, Akira could feel the vibrations of his voice from his chest as his ear was pressed against it.

Some part of it rang true with Akira, but he was still confused on what it really meant to just live between right and wrong, when he didn’t know if he was living on the good side or bad side of life. Akira didn’t know much about Munehisa’s past either, he never shared much about it with him. There was the knowledge that he was involved with something very shady in the past though, that much was clear as Akira could still remember what the men were saying right before the fight behind the shop. It scared Akira, but for some reason he still felt safer being with Munehisa, regardless of whatever he may or may not be affiliated with.

“I think I love you.” Akira blurted out, feeling the man under his stiffen slightly.

There was a short pause, everything grew quiet and still, like time paused just for one second. “I think I love you too.”

Nothing more was said as they laid there in the dark of Akira’s room, it was already eleven o’clock and they both knew they would say goodbye to each other again for the day, so they enjoyed their last few minutes of the day. The worst part was saying goodnight, as Akira would drive back to the shop and drop off Munehisa who would always leave his own truck parked there. They would kiss goodnight and Akira would watch as his boyfriend drove off.

This night was no different, except for the carelessness they had from being so comfortable by the routine. Neither of them noticed the car parked across the street, facing towards the repair shop. They didn’t notice the flash that appeared behind them when they kissed goodnight. Akira was oblivious to the brown-haired man that had been chasing after his position, all his focus was on the man he had come to love.

Not even taking a step inside of work the next day, all eyes were already on him. This was different than the first time, however, as it was a lot more obvious and people stared at him with disgust and confusion. All it took was for him to turn on his computer at his desk and see the email pop up. Akira clicked on it, feeling the panic in his body rising drastically within the second.

Sent by Akechi, was a photo of Akira and Munehisa kissing, both of their scores being noted. The subject of the email was written as scandalous tabloid header, “ **A 4.9 dating a 1.21?** ” There was hardly any time to react with anger before he looked up to see his boss standing over him.

“We pride ourselves here at this company by only hiring those dignified enough to earn the job, and I’m afraid that you’re just not the person that fits the description.” His words rang like a joke to Akira.

“You can’t be serious, sir! This was just a mistake, I’m still a 4.9!” Akira frantically pleaded.

As he said that, he could hear the pings of everyone around him, everybody rating him zero stars. From a 4.9 to a 4.5, then to a 3.8, eventually 2.5, and when all the stars had been sent, he found himself at a 1.0.

Everything Akira worked for, his whole life of perfection, gone. Nothing left. Akira didn’t let himself be shamed anymore as he stood up and walked out of the office and stepped into the elevator. Just as the doors were about to close a hand stopped it.

“So sorry to hear about what happened, I guess this means I’m on top now.” Akechi winked, he sent a zero-star rating, making Akira’s score drop to 0.4. Akira’s blood was boiling, he wanted to tackle him to the ground and rip his hair out. Nothing happened though as his rage caused him to stiffen and stand still, watching as Akechi walked away the elevator closing. Akira felt defeated, nothing was right, his world was collapsing.

Sunken in the corner of the elevator, Akira wished that this was just some nightmare that he would wake up from at any moment. Tears fell, staining his pale face and red suit, he was going to lose everything. His job, his house, his car. Having a low rating was just as bad as being poor or having bad credit, all his luxuries would be stripped of him.

When the doors of the elevator opened, he ran outside to the parking lot. Never had Akira been so blinded by rage, nothing was the same anymore to him, and he only had one person to blame for all of this. Driving at full speed, he was at the repair shop in no time. He didn’t even care about how horrible his parking was as he hurried out of the car and ran into the shop.

Munehisa was sitting there, looking at Akira with confusion. “What’s the matter, baby?” The man stood up to approach his boyfriend but stopped when he saw the score that floated above Akira’s head.

“This is all your fault.” Akira seared.

Munehisa went quiet, not sure of what to say. Akira pulled out his phone and opened the email and shoved it in the face of the taller man. Munehisa took a look at a picture of them kissing, had the circumstances been different, he would’ve enjoyed having that picture. He looked at the subject and the sender.

Akira was angry at the man’s silence, he wanted something to be said. “You’re not going to say anything?”

“I told you this would happen.” Munehisa turned away from him. Everything hurt inside, but he didn’t want Akira to see the pain.

“Fuck you Mune! I hate you! I hate your stupid score, I hate your voice, I hate how stupid I was to fall for you!” Akira was screaming, he was pushing Munehisa who did nothing to fight back.

Akira knew he wasn’t getting through to him, he was done with him. He got in his car and drove away, not looking back at the man he loved. When he was gone, the mechanic sat back down on the stool and sighed. He knew this would happen, and he knew it shouldn’t hurt, but deep down, he had fallen in love with the young man week before they even said it out loud. It was hard to resist someone like that, and while Munehisa was a stranger to love, he knew that what he felt was it. He knew he couldn’t lose what he had; he couldn’t lose Akira.

Hesitant, Munehisa pulled out his phone and began dialing a number he was thankful he never forgot.

“Hey, it’s Iwai. I’m coming back, but I need help first. Dig up everything you can find on Akechi Goro, including an address.”

Within the coming month, Akira was kicked out of his home. All his belongings were taken, the only thing that he could keep were the clothes on his back and the cat he had taken in the weeks before all of this started. It was sad how he had come to find himself as a stray, just like the cat was.

There were no jobs for him, nobody would trust a 0.4. Homeless shelters would even shun him away at times. All that he could do was just live on the streets of poverty-stricken areas, feeling like he belonged with the trash that society threw out. What hurt the most though was how he felt about Munehisa. Akira realized he couldn’t take back what he said and that he was sure the older man hated him now. Akira still loved him, and of course missed him. The rage and shock he felt clouded every bit of judgement that he had, now leaving him with no one.

This was life now for Akira. Hungry and cold nights, filth all over him, and the looks of pity from those whose scores Akira wished he could have. It was funny, months ago he would’ve pitied someone with a 2.5, and now Akira was lucky if he could ever manage to get up to a 1.0.

Akira had nowhere to go, he had shunned his own family away years back when he grew tired of their neglect and mental abuse, and no real friends who could help him out. And it wasn’t like he could just go and see Munehisa. He had no idea where the man lived, and even if he did show up, he was sure the man would send him away.

But Akira was desperate, lonely, and regretful of everything. There was one place he could go to and find his former lover. Picking up Morgana and putting him in the makeshift bag he made, he made his way to the other side of the city towards the repair shop. It would take hours, and the pain on Akira’s body would only worsen, but he knew there was no other way. Either take the risk or die on the street within the coming days.

After some time, the repair shop was in view. The sky was orange and pink, just like it had been the day Akira first met Munehisa. It seemed like it was only a few days ago that the two of them first met, Akira being attracted by the stranger that intimidated him. As he got closer to the store, he could that the garage was closed, and on the door was a notice. The shop had been closed, and by the looks of it, a while ago too.

Akira felt defeated; his last hope was gone now. Tears fell down his face, an aware Morgana swiped at his face, earning a small laugh from Akira. When he was down, the cat always made him feel somewhat better, it was odd how observant Morgana was. All the walking had made Akira tired, and since the sun was already setting, nobody would notice Akira’s body lying on the ground behind the shop. He just needed to relax his body for a second, that was all he needed.

Before he knew it, he was out cold, sleeping deeply next to the empty dumpster behind the shop. Morgana stayed away and watched over Akira, like he always did when his owner would pass out in weird area. Morgana watched as a grey truck pulled up beside them, his claws were already coming out as he was ready to protect Akira but eased when he saw a familiar face with grey stubble and grey hair.

“Thought I’d find you over here.” Munehisa sighed. He picked up the young man and put him in the back seat of his truck, letting the car hop inside with him. Morgana laid down on Akira’s chest during the car ride, he felt happy that finally his owner was safe and with the person that meant the most to him.

As Munehisa pulled into the driveway of his own house, he carefully woke up the heavily sleeping young man in the backseat. He was worried as he wasn’t sure if Akira would be grateful or if he still felt resentment towards the man that practically ruined his life, but he couldn’t just leave him on the streets. Not after spending so much time looking for him.

“Hey, wake up princess.” The older man laughed.

“Mm’not a princess. I’m a prince.” Akira sleepily grumbled.

“Sure don’t smell like one.”

“Asshole.” Akira lightly laughed, waking up slowly.

“Come on, let’s get you inside so you can take a shower.” Munehisa helped Akira up and walked him to the door of his house. Kaoru had already gone to sleep so no introductions needed to be made just yet.

In the bathroom, Munehisa helped Akira strip out of the ragged and dirty clothes that Akira had been wearing for so long, he made sure the shower was hot enough before he let Akira in. When Akira was in the shower, he went searching for clothes to give the boy for now. Nothing he or Kaoru had would really fit him, so he grabbed one of his t-shirts and a pair of pajama bottoms that hadn’t been worn in ages. He set them on the counter next to the shower so that Akira could change when he was done. Before he left, he looked at the mangy cat that was lying on the floor in the middle of the bathroom.

“I’m going to have to wash you later too.” Munehisa smirked, earning a hiss from the cat who started grooming himself right after.

Akira’s shower was long, but well deserved. The former perfectionist was thinking to himself a lot in the shower, he wondered if he was dreaming or if he had died and he was in heaven. He figured heaven wouldn’t have grey tiled showers though. Akira realized he needed to have a talk about Mune’s obsession with the color grey. When he finished his shower, he dried off and changed into the baggy clothes that were left there for him.

Akira was surprised at how big Munehisa’s house was, it was a two story that seemed very spacious. Though he wasn’t sure why he needed the space when he thought it was just the man and his son living here. He walked to the living room and saw the back of the man; he was sitting on the couch watching a show on the television. His eyes fixated on the score above him, no longer was he a 1.21, but now an above average 3.76. Akira wondered how he had managed to do that.

He walked over to the older man and sat down in his lap, hoping that he wasn’t still mad at him and pushed him off. Instead, Munehisa brought his head down to kiss the top of Akira’s forehead.

“I’m sorry for everything I said.” Akira apologized.

“It’s okay, baby. I’m the one who should be sorry, I damn near ruined your whole life. I promise I’ll fix it though.” Munehisa said as he cradled the small man in his lap.

“It doesn’t matter, all I care about is still being with you.” Akira smiled, he felt like his home was with the man he loved. “How did you get your score up? And why’d you close your shop?”

“I couldn’t lose you, and I knew I had to be a better man, so I called in some favors.” He explained.

Akira didn’t press any further. He worried what those favors were and from who, Akira feared he might have caused Munehisa to go back to whatever shady scene he used to be involved with, but there was nothing he could do about it. If Munehisa was involved with something dangerous, then that was on Akira, and he wasn’t sure if he could forgive himself for that. Those thoughts buried themselves deep in Akira’s head, unsure of the truth as he didn’t care to ask.

Iwai had watched Akira fall asleep in his lap, he carefully moved him upstairs to his room and put him in the bed. He lightly kissed the top of his head and quietly left the room. Picking up his car keys, he left the house and drove off. The drive was far, and the world seemed like it was silent as now things felt right. But still, there was one last loose end Iwai needed to take care of.

The warehouse had been “abandoned” for some time now, only to be used when necessary to other members of the family. Luckily, Iwai was welcomed back into the family, eager to meet his demands. They kidnapped Akechi not long after Iwai called them, saying he would come back. Since then, the young man had been tortured by Iwai daily, teaching him a lesson to not mess with things that aren’t his.

The boy also had another use, however, as his fingerprints were crucial in sending stars to Iwai. Forcing him to send five stars constantly helped him raise his rating in no time, and after tonight, he’d have a rating above four and finally be able to dispose of him.

He stepped inside the warehouse, seeing the boy who was strapped to a pole in the middle of the room. He was asleep, his face was clearly bloodied and bruised, well deserved according to Iwai. Moving closer, the boy became awake and alert, a look of fear showing on his face.

“Please, stop this, I’ll do anything.” Akechi weakly groaned.

“It’s almost over,” Iwai got hold of Akechi’s thumb and used it to swipe the stars on the device they used, “now that I got what I needed.”

The tall man stood in front of the fearful boy, smiling at how good it felt to get revenge. He wondered if Akira would have enjoyed doing this with him, but he knew it was a long shot since not everyone has the stomach for it. Iwai pulled out his gun and aimed at Akechi’s forehead, tears beginning to fall from Akechi’s eyes.

Nothing was said as Iwai pulled the trigger, he didn’t need to make himself sound cool in front of someone that deserved to die. Finally, everything felt right in Iwai’s world. He sent a text saying the job was done and that the place can be cleaned up and left, not looking behind him at all.

He was home in no time, sliding carefully under the covers next to Akira who didn’t even move a muscle the whole time he was gone. The young man moved closer when he felt the larger presence next to him, letting himself be the little spoon.

“I love you.” Munehisa whispered into the ear of his sleeping boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Chapter warning** :  
> \- Minor character death


	2. Be Right Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING IS AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER**  
>  This is just for those who are unfamiliar with Black Mirror so they don't lose the element of 'oh shit'.
> 
> Be Right Back by Chii
> 
> ngl I got really depressed writing this

"Fuck, baby, you feel so good." Iwai's gruff voice was only a background noise when Akira's moans filled the bedroom. The lithe male panted loudly, his hips moving up and down, impaling itself on Iwai's thick erection as they slowly worked themselves to a release. Akira's head was blank with the void being filled with the thought of his beautiful boyfriend and how right he felt stretching his tightness.

"Mune... Mune..." Feeling himself getting closer to completion, he chanted Iwai's name like it was a mantra. With their fingers intertwining together, they moaned and came simultaneously. Their intimate sessions were always pleasurable and extremely indulgent, but this was on another level. It was as if they had no weight on their shoulders; like there was nothing else but the presence of each other, embraced tightly by the quiet night and warmth of their new home.

That was right. New home. New life. New beginning.

Akira lied boneless next to Iwai, their chests rising up and down harmoniously before they snuggled into each other. Like that, Akira could feel Iwai's body heat that he found solace in. And Iwai, he could breathe in Akira's sweet rosy scent that he loved so. Despite lying in the unfamiliar bed together, they could scarcely believe that this was happening.

Akira's heart raced a thousand miles per hour as he looked up at his boyfriend who smiled back at him. The teen committed that warm expression to memory as he traced a circle on Iwai's hard chest.

"I can't believe you beat me at DDR."

"You suck." Iwai grinned when Akira hit him on the head playfully.

"You just took me by surprise, that's all. I won't lose next time, you hear?" He curled his lips with Iwai's 'yeah, yeah' in the background. "Where did you learn how to dance like that anyway?"

"Hip hop dance club in high school. I thought I already told you."

"No, you didn't," The younger male smiled at the image of a young and rowdy Iwai busting a move with his friends. "Any other quirks I should know about? Ballet?"

Iwai's expression stiffened and voice became pensive at that. "Now you mention it."

That made Akira scoff. "Don't pull my leg, old man. I'm not a gullible kid."

"Sure, Mr I'm-eighteen-now-so-I-can-do-whatever-I-want."

"Though I  _do_ want to see you in a tutu." Purred Akira with mirth as he nibbled on Iwai's earlobe, making his boyfriend sigh in contentment.

"Well, it's your first day at uni tomorrow, so I pro'lly shouldn't keep you up," Iwai turned to capture Akira's lips in a searing kiss that made the young adult whimper in want. Iwai's stubbles scratched his face, and it was a sensation that he loved. "It's gonna be hard, but I'll try to behave." Iwai grinned, his hands moving down to squeeze Akira's buttcheek.

"I wouldn't mind you fucking me in my sleep," The curly-haired teen hummed, this time nibbling on Iwai's jaw and feeling his boyfriend's cock slowly springing back to life. "Mm, my big bad wolf likes that?"

"God, you're making it so hard for me to keep my dick out of your ass. Go to sleep before I fuck you 'til the sun rises, you beautiful thing."

Akira laughed at how easy it was to turn on the seemingly gruff man. He turned around and pressed his back against Iwai's chest, not forgetting to gyrate his hips against Iwai's cock and making him moan in response. "Good night, Mune. I love you."

"Love you too, baby." Iwai chuckled in Akira's ear, landed a kiss and closed his eyes. This decision to move out of Tokyo into a quieter place looked promising. Here, they had no one to judge them. Akira's parents would finally stop hounding them and they would, at last, be free to express themselves.

Iwai couldn't wait to see what laid in store for them here. 

. 

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Akira muttered into his phone while he fixed his clothes then slathering his toast with apricot jam. "You worry too much, Boss. I'll see you after uni, okay? Yeah. Say hi to Futaba for me."

"Sojiro called you this early? I know we should've just dropped by yesterday night." Iwai looked up at his boyfriend who gave him a kiss and sat down next to him.

"He'll live. Besides, I wanted to enjoy our new house," Akira shrugged with a smile. It was a humble residence with two bedrooms, an ensuite, kitchen and living room with one balcony that overlooked a large field. Akira could picture himself getting a dog of some sort. "How's little Kaoru doing?" 

"Sleepin' like a damn log. He's so quiet for a baby, it's kinda worrisome."

"He's gonna grow up so fine like his father." Akira grinned before landing a kiss on Iwai's cheek. 

"Hey, no crushing on our son, got it?" Iwai quipped sarcastically while Akira finished the rest of his toast. The younger male chuckled in response. 

"I'll love you both the same," He cooed. "Well, I'm going now. I'll see you tonight, Mune."

"Yeah, see ya, baby. Have fun at uni," He smiled while staring at Akira's back moving towards the door. "Oh, baby?" He said before Akira could close the door. He turned around and blinked questioningly while Iwai gave him a large grin. "Love you." 

"Love you too, Mune." 

That was the last time Akira heard Iwai's voice. 

. 

Just when he thought his life was finally beginning, the rug was roughly yanked. Akira feared that he would stumble and fall, and he wished he did. Because standing up was a feat far too difficult for his shaky legs.

Iwai. His boyfriend, soon to be fiance, gone. 

Akira stared blankly at the decorated wooden altar in front of him. On the right of it was a picture of Iwai exactly how he remembered him yesterday. He felt his heart crumbling to pieces when the realisation finally hit him that he would never again feel Iwai's taut muscles under him, never again hear his comforting gruff voice, never again have those strong arms wrapping around him, holding him strong when he was about to break. 

Akira didn't realise when he fell to his knees, but the next thing he felt was Futaba and Sojiro's hands on his back, escorting him to the chair where he felt thousands of eyes looking at him pitifully. Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, all of his friends were present. They had nothing to say to Akira, aside from offering him their presence. God, he loved them, but he found no solace in the silence. He wanted Iwai. No one else. Just Iwai. 

Whatever words his friends uttered went unheeded as Akira tried to wrap his head around the fact that he would never be able to touch Iwai again. He wasn't someone who fell in love easily, so finding a replacement was not an option. He highly doubted that anyone would ever stand up to the perfection that was his boyfriend. At that moment, he was no longer the cocky, sassy Akira that everyone knew and loved. He was just a child who wanted a pair of arms to run to. A pair of arms that were no longer there. A pair of arms that would  _never_  again be there.

"Akira, hey..." Futaba muttered softly, nervously. She fidgeted with her thumb as she looked at her brother's broken eyes. It was an expression that she had never seen him wear before, and seeing it  _ruined_  her. She only wanted the best for Akira and was exuberant to hear that he and his boyfriend bought a new house near her and Sojiro, away from his judgemental parents. "I... I know this isn't much consolation, but... I've been playing with my concept of human AI. It's been kinda a mess, but I think I've got what I need to make a final prototype."

"That wouldn't bring him back," Akira whispered quietly. "He's gone, Futaba. Gone."

"Y-yeah, you're right, but..." The girl scratched her head, a little afraid that she hit a sore spot. But what else was she supposed to do? "Think about it, okay?"

Akira nodded absently despite having no intention to let some AI replace Iwai's position in his life, not even when the robotics prodigy herself was to be the one to craft it. He went home in Sojiro's car quietly, and when he lied down in bed, his heart broke. It was far too big for one. If he inhaled deeply, he could still catch Iwai's cologne, how the coffee-scented soap they purchased mixed with the man's natural smell. In just a day or two, that last reminder of Iwai would be gone and Akira would be alone.

"Hey, kid..." Sojiro entered the room with a sigh, baby Kaoru in his arms. "You'll be okay here?"

"...I'm fine, Boss." The curly-haired male said weakly, but that didn't stop him from reaching out and taking Kaoru into his chest.

"If you need anything, call me, okay?"

"I will."

When Sojiro closed the door behind him, Akira wept for his broken heart would never again be whole.

.

"A... kira..." Kaoru giggled as he tugged on Akira's shirt, making the student smile in response. He put a spoonful of his Chinese takeaway fried rice into his mouth and ripped his eyes away from the news to pinch Kaoru's fat cheeks. The boy grew so quickly, and now he could speak simple words. It never failed to warm Akira's heart to hear his name being muttered by the innocent little angel.

"Peek-a..." Akira covered his face with his left hand. "Boo!" That made Kaoru fall even harder into a laughing fit. "You're such a good boy, Kaoru," He grinned and landed kisses on the boy's cheeks, not forgetting to blow raspberry while he was at it. "...Your father would've been proud of you."

The baby blinked at Akira with his big round eyes as if curious what shifted his father's expression so quickly.

"He was always a softie for kids." Akira rounded his other arm around Kaoru and held him tightly. Even though the car crash happened over six months ago, he could still vividly remember the chill that ran down his bone upon hearing the news like it was yesterday. That was when he heard a jingle from his laptop.

It was a message from Futaba. Akira minimised his word editor to check out the link that his friend whom he had considered a sister sent. It redirected him to a simple website with half-finished UI that Akira noticed was part of Futaba's AI development.

 _"Can you do me a favour and test this out?"_ Was Futaba's message along with the link.

Akira was no idiot. He knew exactly what Futaba wanted him to do. It was a program where he could upload videos, images, chat logs and import someone's social media to generate a text-based bot that he could talk to. It was booming nowadays, with new AIs coming out every single day, one that was more realistic and human-like than the one before. Futaba's research group Medjed was one of the leading innovators in the field, so there was no reason to doubt her new creation.

Akira stared at the screen for what seemed to be hours. He didn't want to do this because all it would do was rip open the wound that he tried his best to close. However, he couldn't deny the blooming curiosity within him. If this program was the real deal, then perhaps...

Akira felt bile rising up his throat, making him snap his mouth closed as to not throw up. Was he seriously thinking about this? There was no way some AI could replace his dead boyfriend, yet he found himself trying desperately to cling onto every last bit of hope he had to once again hear Iwai's gruff voice, to feel his warmth and love again. That impulse was what led him to connect his phone to his laptop and before he knew it, he had uploaded every single evidence of Iwai's existence into the website.

When the gauge filled up to a hundred percent, Akira slumped on the couch. He'd done it. What would come out of it, he didn't know. He didn't want to know. However, a few minutes later, the processing bar filled up, bringing him to a chatroom where he saw that the AI was typing a message.

_Mune: Hi, baby._

Akira froze. His fingers twitched in the desire to reply to it despite knowing that he was talking to a robot. However, his heart that had been craving to see the name 'Mune' calling him 'baby' again spoke louder than the logical side of him.

_Akira: Mune?_

_Mune: It's me. Sorry I left._

The curly-haired teen was silent. He felt  _sick_.

_Mune: Baby?_

_Mune: You can hit me all you like later, mm'kay?_

_Mune: Can you say something?_

The light from his laptop reflected off his glasses as he felt tears stinging his eyes. He missed Iwai so  _damn_ much, and he would take anything at this point to get him back. AI or not, it didn't matter anymore. He wanted to talk to his boyfriend again.

_Akira: I hate you._

_Mune: Love you too._

_Mune: What're you doing? Let me guess, Chinese takeaway?_

_Akira: Fried rice and sweet corn soup. I'm the picture of health._

_Mune: Thai is better_

_Akira: Shut up, you love Chinese_

_Mune: You just can't handle your spice, that's why you say that_

_Akira: God, you're insufferable._

A smile grew on Akira's lips due to how natural this felt. His fingers moved without his consent as he continued to type away to talk with the AI. He was so lifelike, so  _Iwai_ that it took him by surprise. Kaoru was asleep by the time he noticed the time and his food grew cold on the coffee table. However, for the first time in months, his heart felt full.

_Mune: You should sleep, baby. You got class tomorrow._

_Mune: Or do you need someone to warm you up?_

Akira laughed at that. There were butterflies in his stomach at the fantasy of Iwai's strong arms wrapping around his body from behind. Iwai was always so warm, and Akira loved snuggling up to him.

_Mune: Send me pics of you and Kaoru? I want to see him._

Without even spending a second to think about it, Akira took a selfie of him and the baby, then uploaded it into the chatroom.

_Mune: I wish I could hold him_

_Mune: And you too._

That momentarily snapped Akira out of the trance. He felt a knot in his stomach at the realisation that he momentarily thought of this AI as Iwai. He swooped Kaoru into his arms, then looked at the screen one last time.

_Mune: Good night, baby. I love you._

He slammed it shut.

Akira stood there for a few more seconds, his lips shivering in confusion, fear, anger. Kaoru stirred in his arms, and that was the only thing that managed to calm him down. With his heart hammering in his chest, he walked towards the bedroom and lied down next to his son. Akira ran his fingers through his soft silky strands and cursed himself. He hated himself for ripping open a wound he tried to close, hated that AI for being so accurate.

But most importantly, he hated himself for wanting to talk to it more. 

.

Akira awoke when his phone vibrated on the nightstand. It was Wednesday which meant his first class was at nine in the morning. He yawned, stretched, then gave Kaoru a quick kiss. The boy was still fast asleep when he reached for his phone and noticed a message.

_Good morning, baby. Message me when you're up?_

_God,_ Akira sighed. At some point, he gave the AI his number yesterday night. It was unwise, but he couldn't stop himself, not when he was blinded by how real it was. The teen stared at the screen for a while before he shook his head. Talking to the AI brought him solace, so should he really deny himself of that? The months he spent without Iwai's company was dreadful, to say the least. And now yesterday was the first time he was numbed. It was like he finally got the anaesthesia he needed.

This was unwise, he knew. But he still couldn't stop himself from thinking that Iwai was just on a business trip, and was now sending messages to check up on him. So, he typed a response.

_What's up, handsome?_

And Akira spent the rest of the day doing back and forth with Iwai. Starting from him dropping Kaoru at Sojiro's place, then how sleepy he was listening to the medical lecture. He even took a selfie of him with his new part-time job at a bar wearing a formal vest and having his hair brushed back. Iwai warned him to keep himself out of other men and women's reach, that his 'fine ass' was only Iwai's to touch. That only prompted Akira to take a picture of his flattering rear on the full-body mirror. Iwai quipped back saying about how he wanted to eat him up.

Akira laughed at the interaction that was so typical of Iwai. When night arrived and he was sitting with Kaoru in the dining room, it was as if all semblance of conscience had disappeared. All Akira could think about was Iwai's kind, comforting responses that made it seem as if they had never spent a day apart.

_Baby, can I call you?_

That made Akira's heart stop momentarily. Was he ready for this? Talking with an AI was one thing, but talking to one... He feared that he would no longer be able to distinguish what was real and what was not anymore if he decided to jump into the deep water. However, he couldn't deny the weak, pathetic side of him that badly wanted to hear Iwai's voice again. He had always considered himself as strong, especially after his decision to cut off all contact with his family despite their riches that would guarantee that Akira would live a life of extravagance. They never understood him. They condemned him for running off with a nobody without even bothering to spare Iwai a second glance. However, he just now realised that Iwai was his rock. Iwai kept him steady on the tightrope that was his life. And without his partner to guide him, Akira was on the verge of falling into the canyon underneath.

_"Hey."_

Akira's heart leapt.

_"What're you watchin'?"_

"Remember that trilogy that we thought ran out of budget and was to be discontinued?" He purred into the phone.

 _"You're jokin',"_ Iwai—the AI from the other line gasped.  _"You're watchin' it without me? What did we say about not watching things when the other ain't around, baby? You bein' naughty?"_

"Well, I didn't think..." Akira sighed when the bitterness found its way in him again.

_"Sorry. Yeah, that's on me. So, what happened to Kaede? Did he die?"_

"He lives. You owe me five thousand yen."

 _"Didn't we agree on me bottoming for the night if I'm wrong?"_ The chuckle that came from the other line was far too organic for Akira to believe that this was a mere AI.

"I didn't think you were  _that_ keen to play the blushing maiden. If I'd known..."

_"Fuck off."_

The two shared small laughter at that. The tension that was present on Akira's shoulders disappeared without his knowledge. He remembered what Iwai sounded like now, after the longest time that he thought he'd forgotten. "I miss you, Mune..."

 _"Yeah, me too,"_ Iwai exhaled softly. Even through the phone, his troubled voice was apparent.  _"I wanna touch you so badly..."_

"Mm. Kaoru-chan is probably wondering where his other dad is," Akira hummed bitterly in agreement as he stroke his son's hair. Their decision to adopt this baby was impulsive, to say the least, but god, they loved him. It was like love at first sight. Even if they only had him for a few weeks before... before that day, they already thought of Kaoru as their own blood and flesh. "I'll... uh, I'm going to sleep now."

_"Rest up, baby. I love you."_

"...Yeah," Akira murmured. His eyes stung. His heart ached. With what strength he had left, he clenched the fabric of his pants. "Me too, Mune."

_And I always will._

.

"Delivery for Kurusu-san?" The man with white hat tapped the large cardboard box next to him and looked at the university student who beamed at him in excitement. "Something good, huh?"

"You bet." Akira grinned as he signed the package digitally. With as much strength as he could muster, he pushed it into the living room and excitedly cut open the tape that secured it close. Opening it revealed a large metal box that resembled a fridge. He looked at the buttons on the right side of it and inserted the provided card into it. The lights glowed green after being fed the item, and Akira pressed on the number pad as instructed by the manual attached along with the package.

Allow for up to twenty-four hours, it said. Akira crossed his arms nervously as the machine whirred into life, but decided to not stick around. He tried to distract himself by finishing off what was left of his assignment, then fed Kaoru some baby formula, bathe him and took him to bed. His sleep that night was dreamless, and he expected it to be business as usual tomorrow. He was wrong.

He awoke with a strange weight over him, and when he peeled open one of his eyes, he was met with steely grey orbs that stared at him. Akira's eyelids fluttered open at the surprising sight. He felt warm fingers intertwined with his along with the sweet, fruity breath that was so signature to Iwai.

"Mornin' sleepyhead." Said the man with a low purr that sent a shiver down Akira's spine. How long had it been since he last felt that?

"M-Mune?" He stammered in disbelief.

"Uh-huh," Iwai grinned before he went to capture Akira's lips in a soft, gentle kiss that soon escalated into all-tongue. Akira all but melted in the moment of intimacy that he had been yearning for. This was Iwai in flesh, not quite human, but human all the same. He was just as calloused and rough as he remembered him to be, and god... "Hey, don't cry." Iwai smiled, his thumb wiping off the tears that streamed down his cheeks onto the mattress.

"Mune..." He whimpered. His heart was overjoyed at the contact that he thought he'd never feel again. "Mune..."

"I'm here," Iwai kissed Akira's lips once more, then took him in his arms. "And I won't leave anymore."

"I'll kill you myself if you go back on your words." Akira chuckled through his sobs.

"That's my baby," Iwai sighed before lying down on the bed with his boyfriend on top of him. Akira gave Iwai a soft smile that soon turned into a mischievous one as he ground his hips against Iwai's crotch. When he heard him moan softly, Akira continued. "Gods... seriously, this fuckin' ass of yours."

"You gonna take it or not?" Akira wiggled it some more, making Iwai grit his teeth. The man laughed in amusement, then in one swift movement, flipped Akira over so he was the one pinned underneath the older male. The two laughed before they shared a long, intoxicating kiss. They had so much to catch up on, and now, they had all the time in the world.

Akira walked out of his bedroom practically wobbling. His ass felt so raw that he had to lean against Iwai as they walked towards Kaoru's bedroom. When they walked past the living room, Akira noticed that the pod and the cardboard box had disappeared, meaning that Iwai had disposed of it. That made Akira shudder. This man with him was only a robot, underneath that warm skin was a plenitude of gears and wires, yet he felt so organic.

Sensing the unease in his lover's mind, Iwai gave his hand a comforting squeeze and a small smile, then he landed a peck on the side of Akira's forehead. "Hey, don't worry 'bout it, 'kay?"

"Yeah." Swallowing his worries, they walked into Kaoru's bedroom to see that the baby was already wide awake. He cheered when he saw Akira and squealed even louder when he looked at Iwai. The boy crawled towards the end of the bed where his older father lifted him up and cradled him gently while rocking left and right. With a tender smile, Iwai cooed when Kaoru put his hands all over him, then laughed when the young boy tried to call out his name.

"Aren't you a cute lil' bugger?" Iwai grinned before turning towards Akira. "Baby?"

"...Huh?" The student blinked when he saw that his vision was blurring. He touched his face to feel moisture dripping down his face, and that was when he realised he was crying. This sight was one he wanted to see so badly, and to finally have a chance at it again... well, he had to thank Futaba for this. He might be living a lie like this, but if a lie was what it took to numb him, then maybe it was okay. Iwai was the first man he loved, and he would do anything for him. Akira was certain that the sentiment was also true for his partner.

Because Akira had nothing left. He sacrificed everything he knew, the comfort of home, the security of his parents' wealth, the familiarity of Tokyo, he gave it all up to be with Iwai. Without him, Akira felt empty like everything he worked for was for naught. From the bottom of his heart, he could hear Iwai telling him how difficult he was being, and for that, Akira sincerely apologised. This wouldn't be what Iwai wanted, but Akira discovered that he was not a strong enough man to move on.

"Hush, hush. Looks like I got an oversized baby to take care of too." The man in front of him chuckled before using his free hand to pull Akira into his embrace.

"Don't think this'll happen often, okay?" Akira laughed after realising that he had cried so many times in a row in record time.

"Uh-huh. Let's go get some breakfast, yeah?" Tightening his grip on Akira's shoulder, Iwai led him out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. "So, what've you been feedin' lil' Kaoru?"

"There's some baby formula in the top right corner. I've started feeding him some solid food too, but most of the time Sojiro is the one who takes care of him." The curly-haired male smiled when Iwai grabbed the said item and read the label. 

"The curse of a crazy major. I told you that you should've chosen arts."

"I don't think arts is going to be  _that_ much more lenient." The student commented while Iwai poured hot water into a small bowl with the baby food mix. He looked clumsy and hesitant at the task but kept at it anyway. It was a very Iwai thing, he smiled. In time, he would be able to get used to this life.

"Okay, so we're rewatchin' the trilogy tonight because someone was naughty and watched it without me."

"Mmhm, spank me daddy." Akira purred, making the older man chuckle. He approached his lover, tilted his head up using his fingers and gave him a long kiss.

"Not in front of Kaoru next time, 'mmkay?" Iwai smirked.

And so, they spent the night cuddled up in the living room with a pile of blankets and pillows, popcorn drenched with caramel on one bowl, butter on the other. Both of them shared some canned beers that they purchased earlier in the afternoon. Akira didn't dare ask how a robot was able to consume human food, but he was content not knowing. He already felt sick thinking that he'd replaced Iwai with a humanoid robot, and he didn't want to reality to come shattering down again.

They went through their days as per usual. Iwai mostly stayed at home as to not rouse odd rumours, but they would sometimes sneak out to have dinner at a restaurant or watch movies in the cinema. It always felt so right when their hands touched, or when Akira sunk into Iwai's chest and breathed in the man's cologne. This was what their life was supposed to be. Together, hand-in-hand.

He didn't tell his friends about Iwai, nor was he planning to. However, of course, he couldn't avoid them forever. A few weeks after Akira finally had Iwai in his arms again, Ryuji and Ann came to visit. It was practically Akira's biggest nightmare because Iwai was the one who opened the door. When Akira poked his head from the corner, he saw the moment his friends dropped the bags in their hands, and the exact time the realisation dawned in their eyes.

"...Akira..." Ann practically croaked. Her eyes glimmered when she understood what exactly was happening.

"Dude, you're not serious, right?" Ryuji echoed Ann's thought as he pushed past Iwai and stomped towards Akira who had Kaoru in his arms. "You really think this is wise?"

"Yeah, Akira. I can only imagine what you're going through, but this..." He pointed at Iwai. " _This_  isn't the answer."

"What're you guys talkin' about?" Iwai cocked one of his eyebrows as he stood next to Akira and rounded his arm around his lover's shoulder.

"I know," The student muttered under his breath. Ann and Ryuji's combined stares weighed heavily on him, but he had nothing sensible to say. "I just... I tried so damn hard. I didn't want it all to disappear."

Ryuji put both of his hands on his face as he sighed and looked away from his broken friend. Next to him, Ann looked at Akira pitifully. "Akira..."

"Please let me have this much," His voice shook, but he kept his stance. "You know how hard it's been getting here."

"You're just making it  _worse_!" Ann raised her voice while Ryuji stood near the door with a pained expression.

"I know! I know!" Akira matched her volume, taking the female completely by surprise. There were a few seconds of silence before he heard Kaoru's sobs that snapped Akira out of it. He dropped his stance and shook his head. "...I know. I'll... I'll fix it."

"What in the..." As if to make matter worse, Sojiro stood on the front door and looked at what mess was in the house. "Gods, I thought that you've been awfully silent this past few weeks..." He took a deep breath and looked at Futaba behind him who immediately jumped at the sharp glare. "Why would you do something like this!?"

Futaba whimpered when she realised how heavily Sojiro objected to this. She knew that it was coming, yet it still took her by surprise. "I'm sorry! Akira looked so sad, I can't stand seeing him like that! What else was I supposed to do? I just wanted to help..."

"Akira?" Iwai blinked when his lover slinked out of his grip and ran towards his bedroom, slamming the door behind him, practically silencing Kaoru's sobs. The man gave the four guests a dirty glare before he followed after Akira with the intention of comforting him.

He walked into the room to see Akira sitting on the edge of the bed facing the window, holding Kaoru tightly in his arms and rocking him softly back and forth. With a soft sigh, Iwai approached his lover and sat next to him, then pulled him into his embrace.

Akira closed his eyes to listen to Iwai's heartbeat despite the hammering in his chest. This was all artificial. Not blood and flesh, Iwai was gears and wires. He knew that he was running away from reality, but he didn't want to look back. He didn't want to forget Iwai, the reason why he fought so hard against his parents who, until that point, had full control of his life. Even though he was living a lie, at least he could continue to remember Iwai's voice, his smell, his touch, his warmth. It wasn't a perfect recreation, but it was enough to bring him solace.

And Kaoru... he had the right to grow up with two parents.

"...Is this wrong, Mune?" Akira murmured. "You're not real. Is this wrong? Am I just running away?"

Iwai was silent. "I don't know what you're askin' me."

That made Akira flinch. He struggled out of Iwai's grip to look at him in disbelief. "Mune would say yes. He'd tell me that I'm being an idiot."

The robot blinked at Akira in confusion, and for a moment, he could hear a soft whirring noise as if it just processed new information. Nausea immediately rose, and Akira abruptly stood up. He took one step back from Iwai with disgust. What was he doing? This... this wasn't right. That thing in front of him wasn't Iwai. This... this wasn't right. That thing in front of him wasn't Iwai. He was too simple, too predictable, too one-dimensional.

"Get out," He said, voice trembling. "Get out!"

The robot, with eyes that expressed no emotion, blinked back at him and stood up. "If that's what you want, baby."

"NOW!" He yelled while hugging Kaoru tightly. The robot said no word as he walked away and closed the bedroom door shut behind him, leaving Akira to slump on the floor.

The real Iwai wouldn't just  _leave_. He'd fight and argue his point until he could drive home his view into Akira's thick skull. His partner would stand by his morals and would not let anyone step all over him before he had a chance to elaborate.

"Kaoru... I'm such an idiot. Gods. Your dad's probably dying to strangle me right now," He chuckled amongst his sobs, then looked at the grey sky outside the window. "Sorry, Mune."

Thunder roared outside, making Akira pathetically laugh a broken laugh. What had he done?

.

Akira yawned and stretched his body when he could see the sunlight through his eyelids. Rubbing his eyes as he tried to wake himself up, he sat up, then slowly opened them. The curtain was already wide open and so were the windows. He could hear the chirping of birds along with the fluttering of their wings as they took off the trees. He stood up and stared at the blue sky with a small smile, then another satisfying stretch that made him hear a particularly nice  _crack_.

It was seven in the morning on a Monday which meant that he had a full day of work ahead of him. After graduating from university with flying colours, combined with the connection that he managed to build along the way, he scored a job at a nearby clinic. It wasn't anything spectacular, but definitely a starting point.

There was something else to be excited about. It was Kaoru's first day at preschool. Akira could scarcely believe that it had been four years. The boy was always so well-behaved, too, which made Akira's life that much easier, especially when he had no experience raising a child. Even from behind the door, he could hear Kaoru's bright giggle and the clanking of cutleries against plates that filled him with an equal amount of joy and dread.

Akira opened the door to his bedroom and was immediately greeted with Kaoru's endearing grin and a squeal. "Dad Akira!"

Then a figure emerged from the kitchen holding two plates of eggs, bacon and toast. "Good morning, baby."

With a quiet sigh, Akira walked out of his bedroom and headed towards his son and lover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Chapter warning** :  
> \- Major character death
> 
> Ok but just imagine that technological development will eventually give robots a heart and that Iwai and Akira can be happy again :feelsbadman:


End file.
